Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-08-13

to Winchester-A Stop at AldershOt,
Town Of Soldiers-An Accident on tho
Road-The Ancient Capital Of England.
= Especial Correspondence
LONDON. July o.
The Angel at Guilford is one Of the most
ancient inns in the kingdom. It has a good
deal of oak paneling, massive time worn
rafters and curious crypt beneath. Ihnd
been advised to take hot bath after the first
days exertion, which l did on arriving at
the hotel After dinner we lighted our cigars
and went out to explore the town. Mr.. Will
son took the precaution to put on the "de
tective," small instantaneous photographing
apparatus he carried concealed under his
coat in case opportunity should be afforded
for shot We walked for two hours The
hot bath had apparently removed all stiff
ness, and l felt no inconvenience from the
trip, except soreness arising from my bruised
shns.
The situation of Guilford is perhaps the
most singular and romantic OF any town in
England 1t lies on the sides Of chalk hills,
sloping down quick to the river, which runs
in narrow channel between them. Indeed
the inhabitants of the place must become so
accustomed to these ups and downs that a
level walk Of fifteen minutes might entirely
upset their equilibrium. Like most places in
the south Of England, Gulford traces its origin
back to the time of the Saxons Indeed, if
mistake not, it was here that Harold tortured
and cruelty murdered several hundred Nor
mans who came over with Prince Aefrid, n
claimant for the crown of England Aefrid
was clapped into castle and his eyes put out.
NInt 30.
W IL by WOOL" as the old chroniclers put is.
In the time of Queen Elizabeth its reputation
sor the manufacture Of WOODEN cloth was SO
great that, by an order of the corporation,
,very ale house keeper was obliged to have
ignboard with wool sack painted upon it
hung at his door, under penalty of u.s. 81. in
case OF neglect. This struck me as a queer
dea, but suppose the object was to advertise
he staple industry Of the place. II this
notion was carried out nowadays the signs OF
he gin shops and beer shops Of old England
would present more varied and extraordi-
nary appearance than they do.
Apropos of this it may be well to mention
that the southwestern counties Of England
rave unusual interest for me, from the fact
that at the beginning OF the Eighteenth cen.
Jury they were the seat Of the greatest COM
nercial and manufacturing industry. The
wooden manufacture was chiefly in the west
,rn counties, as it had been from the time of
Edward vi. In the days before steam power
md the application Of chemical science to
manufacture, natural advantages wholly de-
ermined the localization of trades. On the
,rassy downs and wide plains of this part Of
England innumerable hocks fed Clothing
GOWNS like Guilford were surrounded by
tributary villages, in the cottages of which
women and children performed the spinning.
The clothiers of the towns sent their pack
lorses laden with wool and brought back the
pun yarn ready for the weaver's loom. How
different all this is from the vast factories in
he coke towns of the north of England,
where cloth is made for the millions of human
,eings who have become mere automatons!
When the seat of the cloth industry was in
he southwestern counties the man set y, his
own loom, stored his soft yarn, strained the
warp along his garden walk or by the road
side, took the web to the fulling mill and
afterward to the dyer's. But the old loom is
rapidly passing away. Occasionally during
this trip have met with an old fashioned
weaver, and in future letter some space
will be devoted to the lace makers of Dorset
shire and Devonshire. The world moves
more rapidly now, and old time methods are
looked upon with irreverence, though I some
times think they We're more humane than the
industrial organization of today.
-.
It was nearly dusk when from one Of the
surrounding hills | took last look at the
towers and spires and turrets of Guilford and
Of the moldering ruins Of the castle, and re-
turned to the hotel That night l dreamed
my legs had assumed an enormous size, and
that on tricycle. of tremendous proportions
was vainly trying to ride over the barren
hills and craters of the moon.
Next morning we were up before O'Clock.
The sun shone brightly and the sky was
clear blue. Nearly all soreness and stiffness
had disappeared, and felt good for at least
afty miles that day. The immediate pros
pect of brilliant run was not cheering We
were henlmed in by hills. Our departure
from Guiford was along what is called the
Hogs Back" to Farnham, as we intended to
do little camp life at Aldelshot. The Hogs
Back" is curious upthrow Of chalk. The
guide book informed u, that its highest point
IS nowhere more than sos feet. 1t took three
miles of solid climbing to reach this point.
The view the whole distance was Of great ex-
tent OH either side, and at times very pic